13 May 2009

Fresh information received by this paper suggests that the Liberian Government acted properly in keeping with law regarding the government's use of the US $508,200 seized from convicted drug trafficker and money launderer, Mr. Valentine Ayika.

Mr. Ayika was arrested by Liberian Security Officers at the Roberts International Airport on September 10, 2006 with more than half a million dollars (USD) in cash strapped and plastered to his body.

According to reports, the seizure of the money in question was consistent with Liberian laws with respect to money laundering, as confirmed by the action of Criminal Court A, which ordered the confiscation of said money.

Sources indicate that the government's action was also in accordance with international money transfer standards which require that a declaration should be made for any amount over US $10,000.

In a letter to Liberia's Justice Minister, dated October 4, 2006, the then Nigerian Justice Minister, Chief Bayo Ojo, indicated that Mr. Ayika did not disclose the huge sum of money at the airport in Nigeria before leaving that country.

According to a letter in possession of this paper, the Nigerian Attorney General said, "The non-declaration of the money at the point of departure in Nigeria in accordance with Section 2 (3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2004 as well as the circumstances surrounding the transfer of this huge sum of money outside the country without passing through a bank or financial institution are prima facie evidence that the money was laundered."

Justice Minister Ojo also disclosed that Ayika was convicted in the Philippines in 1997 for trafficking in cocaine between Bangkok and the Philippines. Minister Ojo added that Ayika was believed to have been involved in laundering of proceeds of drugs, as Ayika was believed to operate several accounts in China and Hong Kong.

The Nigerian official also pointed out in his letter that Mr. Ayika was on the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA's) list of wanted persons for drug trafficking and money laundering.

Regarding the Nigerian Government's request to have the money turned over to them to form part of their investigation of Mr. Ayika, our report gathered that former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo during a meeting with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf gave his blessing that Liberia uses the confiscated amount in keeping with the laws of Liberia and standard international practice regarding the use of confiscated funds related to drug trafficking.

As controversy mount over the issue in Liberia, the public is divided over the initial handling by Liberian authorities over disclosure regarding the confiscation of the more than half million dollars, but are unanimous in their belief that no genuine business man would enter a country with such huge amount of money strapped and plastered to his body.

As hullabaloo widens over the use of the seized money by the Liberian government in 2006, Acting Information Minister Cletus Sieh over the weekend taunted those questioning the use of the money, sending them to an economics class to read Economics 204.

Minister Sieh said the money in question was 'drug money' and the Liberian government used it for security purposes, a defense that many critics including opposition leaders have condemned.

The Nigerian, Chief Valentine Ayika, was in 2006 arrested at the Roberts International Airport while entering the country with the over half million United States dollars reportedly strapped around his body. He has denied that claim.

The government said it got a tip-off from Nigerian intelligence that Ayika, an alleged international drug pusher, was en route to Liberia, and was apprehended upon arrival at the RIA with the huge sum of money.

It was initially thought to be counterfeit but the central Bank of Liberia verified it to be authentic cash.

Minister Sieh's response of "Go Read Economics 204" goes directly to section of the public including some lawmakers who have questioned why was the US$0.52M not allocated in the National Budget before being used by the Executive.

"That money was illegal money; it could not enter the GNP [gross national product] of the country. According to the principles of economics such money does not enter or form part of the national budget. Those who are arguing should go read economics 204," Minister Sieh told a team of journalist Saturday at his Bardnersville residence.

(GNP is the total value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a particular year, plus income earned by its citizens (including income of those located abroad), minus income of non-residents located in that country.

Basically, GNP measures the value of goods and services that the country's citizens produced regardless of their location. GNP is one measure of the economic condition of a country, under the assumption that a higher GNP leads to a higher quality of living, all other things being equal.)

Mr. Sieh said internationally, moneys seized from drug dealers and criminals are used to fight crimes as the Liberian government did with the Nigerian's US$0.52.

He claimed that the Liberian Government did not just jump into using the money, but was done in consultation with the Nigerian government who approved the use of the money.

"Not one [cent] of that money is left. Is has been spent ever since," Minister Sieh said, noting that the use of the half million to bolster security has helped to improve security and reduced crimes in the country.

Like the acting government spokesman, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf recently commented on the issue, saying, "That money is gone..." and was used on national security following consultation from Nigerian and U.S. officials.

The Nigerian has recently spoken out, calling on the Liberian government to give back his money, because according to him he did not enter the country with any money bandaged on him.

He challenged government to produce graphic evidence that he had the money in question strapped on him as it has claimed.

Segment of the public including opposition Liberty Party has made hard-hitting statement on the saga, terming government's action as 'robbery', calling for the resignation of Justice Minister Philip Z. Banks as well as restitution of the Nigerian's money.

But Minister Sieh says government has evidence that Ayika had the money strapped on his body and that the Justice Minister should be left alone because he was not Justice Minister when the money was used.

Hear Sieh: "If people have doubt for evidence, let them take government to court and the evidence will be provided. We have the evidence and are willing to provide it in court that he (Nigerian) had the money strapped on his body; he is a drug trafficker!"

Valentine Ayika was arrested in September 2006 and was deported on September 13, 2006.

The House of Representatives last week invited Justice Minister Banks to explain the usage of the money as part of their own investigation into the matter.

He was accompanied by national security advisor Dr. H. Bioma Fahnbulleh who was reportedly set to explain the usage of the money to the Lawmakers, but Dr. Fahnbulleh was sent home on ground that he was not invited while Minister Banks was ordered to reduce his testimony in writing for submission last Friday.